Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-03-11
THE OFFICERS SCHOOL.


National Guard, HSSclnblcd wednesday
morning at the armory Of the Estcy Guard.
Bripadier General w. l.. Grcenleaf pre-
sided Nearly every commissioned officer
of the First Brigade was present at the
opening session. Gen. Greenleaf in his
opening address said owe have again,
and for the fifth time, met to devote few
hours, as trust, 10 the sole purpose OF i'm.
improving our knowledge Of the profession
of arms. As we meet each year for thi,
purpose. we realize the fact that many
changes take place in the personnel Of the
National Guard during "A twelve month
We find each year new faces among thos,
who meet with us and we miss the famil
inr presence of others who have been will
us for yenrs. Yet am confident that We
ALL both new and old, come here with thu
determination to do what We can to max,
the National Guard Of Vermont II credit {,
ourselves and an honor 10 our state. II
speaking of the course Of instruction TO
the school Gen Greenleaf said that the
most important subjects 10 he considere'
was how 10 have good companies, how e
use the material in them 10 the best advan
tape and how to systematize the work 81
that all the material may become bette
/ drilled and more efficient Gen. Greenlea
| in closing outlined plan for the bette
management of company affairs and mad
a number of valuable suggestions to tn
! officers Of the National Guard relative {
their duties and work The following dc
tails for the school were announced Co
julius J Estey. instructor in tactics; Lieut.
/ Col. c. G.. Kinsman, instructor in guar
duty and ceremonies Major Geo. II. Bone
instructor in skirmish drill and manual ,
arms Capt. Levi r. Fuller, instructor j
artillery tactics
The morning session was mainly occl
pied by a course of instruction in infantr
tactics under the supervision of Col. r.
tey. At the afternoon session Lieut., Co
Kinsman exemphfed the details Of guar
duty and ceremonies.
The Evening Exercises.
In the evening at 1870, "A large numb,
Of Brattleboro people, both ladies and gel
tlemen, gathered at the rink, 10y invitatio
Of Col Estey. to hear and see the very il
teresting exercises appointed for the Gee
sion. The First Regiment band was pre-
ent aud gave several selections. to the Il
light Of those who listened. At about s ,
clock Gen Greenleaf opened the formal e
ercises by introducing 10 the officers al
citizens, Gov. Ormsbce, to whasn he felici
ously alluded as man always interested
the states sul1iery, himself AN old soldi
and member Of the militia both before Il
war and since The Governor spoke brio
~ in response, abiding as he began to Bra
tleboro as place where it was peculiar
fitting that such exercises should he held
where, p years ago, 50 many Vermont 81
diers registered their devotion 10 tn,
country and departed for the SCENES Of a
tive war, many of them never to retur
1t gave him pleasure, he said, to inform {
officers that. through the generosity OF I
state, purchase had been made of the We
best arms and equipments for the state T.,
. inent, and it was only through the eNlstl
blockade of the railroads that the ear ID
not arrived in season for the new arms
- be used on tins occasion. The arms, he !
leved. were such as officer, and men wut
J be pleased with and take much Satisfacti
in using, whether in drill or in service.
had sometimes hal an idea that the peol
> did not quite appreciate the state militia
Il state OF things, however, which, happl
was now passing away. The militia of
several states is the right arm of the Z,
eminent. the only reserve force on viii
to rely ia case of emergency. \ very r.
and serious responsibility rests ON the IN
. tia-the duty to step IN and stand i'll I
breach when the civil law proves ina
. quate. The speaker was not an alarm
- but it was PROFESSIONALLY true that there
never beena time since the close of the "a
e war when the possibility was appar,
y as now that time may come when
j, civil law will prove inadequate. The
Il mont militia deserves all the encoura
T. ment which it has received from the sta
e and no company has better deserved t
II encouragement than the Estey Guard.
Gen. GreenIenf'- Piper.
Following the Governors remarks O.
Greenleaf gave thoughtful and sugg
Is tive paper on The Future Of the Natio
" Guard After pointing out the weakn
W Of our country from "a military point
m view, and showing the Importance of
4 militia and the responsibility which re
. upon it if danger threatens from wit
a or from without, Gen. Greenleaf thus ST
,s med up the lesson which the stuat
e. teaches to every earnest man:
s. But whatever neglect or indiifere
We may exist on the part of others, it sho
nj he the aspiration of every officer Of the
Is tional Guard 10 become the highest typ,
ne the soldier, and to perfect himself in ey
1t detail pertaining to the profession of ar
~ SO far lies IN ms power. Anything u
Of this is but parleying with the comm
+. enemy-a suicidal policy which ha, obtai
lie too long already, and should be no Ion
=. tolerated. Something more is require,
"a US than the ability to execute the man
=. and 90 through the maneuyres Of the sci
of the company and battalion. Even tho
he the evolutions of regiment be perforI
lie with the machine-hke regularity and ex
ms ness of West Point, it should not be emo
.a to satisfy us | am not an alarmist, bl
feel that the time has come when a |
'e farewell must be bid to the old STYLE of
Al iday soldiery, and the sterner duties of
t. hour he squarely met. To meet them
e fectually there must be preparation
nd slant, constant and continuous applica
-. ON the part of commissioned officers L
~ themselves for every duty which they
sc by any possibility be called upon to
e. form. The ability to march a compan
IS regiment across the parade ground, i
Ter never so well done, by no means covers
by qualifications of which AN officer SHOULD
its possessed. There are plenty of men
IS can do that. But the men who can
ri wlth the eN'genGigs OF an active camp
Ia are not so readily found and are ~
y means as plenty as they should he, %
hi they would Ice if proper spirit were IN
ne Tested, and the aspiration to excel pred
mated as it ought in the ranks of the
ON tional Guard. An officer can never K
nus to what duties he may be suddenly GA
ed and every commander of company sh
ms aspire TO so qualify himself as to be equ
* the command of a regiment or of an i
'ty pendent command, should the eXigenci
the service unexpectedly place him in ST
al position. That we labor under grave
rst advantages that our opportunities are
h tied, and that our education and advu
'ks ment are attended with trying discoui
ments cannot he denied. But obstacles